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The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase; if you pursue happiness you’ll never find it. ~ C. P. Snow

Happy Cat, by Loliloli

Happiness is an elusive pipe dream for so many. But that is completely the opposite of our natural state—which is happiness, peace, love, joy in every aspect of our earthly lives.

We were born happy. Did you ever see a depressed or unhappy baby or young child? These young ones still remember where they came from and who they are. But most adults have forgotten all that. It does not have to be this way.

I grew up in western New York State where the winters are long and cold, and grey skies predominate much of the rest of the year. A lot of folks there blame the weather if they’re feeling out of sorts.

I read an interesting article a couple weeks ago about a new study of how climate affects people’s moods. Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics, said the study showed levels of happiness were the same between people living in sunny climates and those living in cloudy climates.

There are, of course, other studies with different results. There’s even a name for the radical mood changes some folks experience, supposedly due to the weather. It’s called “seasonal affective disorder” or “SAD.” You’ve probably heard of it. We heard about it a lot back in New York.

But as Professor Dolan said, “If you want to be happier pay attention to the things that make you feel good.” My spirit guides have been saying that for years.

US President Abraham Lincoln put it another way:“A man is about as happy as he makes up his mind to be.”

If we, as people on a deliberate, conscious path of spiritual growth, believe we create our realities, then we certainly create our happiness—or the lack of it.

If we’re chasing happiness, we’ll never find it—because we’re looking in all the wrong places. Happiness does not come to us from “out there.” It comes from within, and each of us has the power to choose happiness over unhappiness—no matter what our outer circumstances might be. It took me many years to realize that.

I remember the story of Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl. Dr. Frankl was a survivor of The Holocaust, having spent time in the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. Obviously, most of us will never in this lifetime endure the horrors that he and millions of others did.

Dr. Frankl had an agreement with a friend, a fellow prisoner, in Auschwitz. Every day the two of them would get together and tell each other a joke or a funny story. He said the laughter brought respite from the grim horror all around them. And it helped them survive by finding a few brief moments of joy each day.

Instead of chasing happiness, we need to look for it the only place it exists—within us. That is true happiness, and does not depend on what’s happening “out there” in the world.

Someone once asked Wayne Dyer what was blocking her happiness. His response was “Only your belief you have blocks.”

I know some folks would disagree with these perspectives. But they’ve worked for me. They can work for you too.

Overall, are you happy in your life? If not, how can you become happier? If you are happy, what are the ways you maintain your happiness? Please share your thoughts and comments with us below.

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John Cali is a writer, blogger, and channel for a group of spirit guides. His next book is Conversations With Spirit: Real Answers to Life’s Pesky Questions, Book 1. John lives in northwestern Wyoming.Sign up for his newsletter here.

10 thoughts on “Chasing Happiness by John Cali and Spirit”

The quotation is out of a book by Stephen R. Donaldson. Before I even knew about the book,I heard as I was coming out of a dream, Lord Foul’s Bane. That same day I saw the book, bought it and one of the giants said that phrase. I have read everyone of the books and others of his. I find that even fiction and fantasy can lead us to a thought that sets us free. To me every story is a life in a reality somewhere. When we create a story, a character and characters we are creating a world. The world we live in is a story we speak.

Love the quote at the top. When we grasp those famous words from the preamble to the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” – we get an insight into the insidiousness of the problem. We are being told from an early age that we have the right to be free but not to actually be happy – just to pursue it – which has been translated into buying this or that – or I will be happy when… Anyway – the quote made me think of that phrase and our culture. Good article and video, John – I’ve said my peace – so now I’m happy – har, har. 🙂

John, this is good news: “Only your belief you have blocks.” I thought “blocks” are the reason we can’t manifest things like abundance, love, a job, etc., and we are supposed to find out what the blocks are. Have I been chasing my tail? lol

Sometimes I’m sad, sometimes I’m mad, sometimes happy and joyful. That is what makes us human. The trick is to understand and know it all comes from our own mind sets. Our mind sets can change with a flick of a thought.

There is a author, favorite of mine (as John is) that said in one of his books; “Joy is in the ears that hear and not in the voice that speaks.” (Stephen R. Donaldson).

Our emotions are not set in stone and we can pick and choose what we hear, what we say and what we do. We are the creators of our own joy or sadness, no one else.

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